TANNING salons are failing to meet one or more of the statutory requirements designed to protect the health of people using sunbeds.

A large secret shopper survey across 12 local authority areas in Wales, has found sunbed supervisors are giving incorrect health and tanning advice to customers.

In more than half of the 81 salons visited advice posters provided by the Welsh Government were not shown to customers or even displayed in the salons.

And two-thirds of the businesses did not verify a person’s age before allowing them to use a sunbed – the law states only over-18s can use them.

It is understood one council is considering taking formal action following the survey by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) Wales, and seven others are planning follow-up visits to monitor and assess compliance.

Wales has some of the strictest rules relating to sunbed use in a bid to prevent under-18s exposing themselves to powerful UV light.

Following the introduction of former Cardiff North MP Julie Morgan’s law banning under-18s from using sunbeds in England and Wales in April 2011, the Welsh Government introduced a series of strict regulations to enhance the law.

These included providing health advice and signage and the requirement that all sunbeds are supervised, effectively banning unmanned high street coin-operated sunbeds.

But the research, by environmental health student Michelle Pearce and CIEH Wales, reveals a worrying lack of competence among sunbed supervisors more than six months after the Welsh regulations came into force.

Julie Barratt, director of CIEH Wales, said: “These findings are very disappointing particularly as there were such high levels of compliance with the smoking regulations and display of signage when they were introduced.

“I don’t understand why we’re not seeing the same level of compliance with the sunbed regulations. There’s an unrealistic level of confidence in sunbed supervisors’ ability to advise people – they just don’t know.

“We have developed and provided training courses and some local authorities, like Blaenau Gwent and Neath Port Talbot have offered sunbed supervisors subsidised training but there’s an erroneous belief in their abilities.”

The research, which will be presented at the CIEH Wales conference in Cardiff this week, involved 18 environmental health students visiting 81 tanning salons across Wales between January and March.

Each asked for a sunbed, using one of five scenarios – ranging from having a family history of skin cancer to needing multiple tanning sessions before a holiday – which were designed to elicit advice from the sunbed supervisor.

In one case, when a student explained they had a pre-existing skin condition but had heard a sunbed session would be beneficial, the supervisor said: “I’m supposed to tell you it’s not but in my experience it is.”

And in another salon when a student asked for a sunbed, the supervisor simply told them to go ahead without verifying their age or asking any further questions.

A Welsh Government spokesman said: “When the Welsh Government introduced the regulations on the use of sunbeds, we provided local authorities with funding of £122,000 to assist with their enforcement.

“Local authorities used parts of this money to provide a range of activities to support sunbed business, such as training for sunbed supervisors, additional promotional material, and additional awareness visits to sunbed salons.

“Under this legislation, local authorities have the tools to ensure businesses comply with the legislation. Breaches of the Act and the regulations are monitored by local authorities, and could attract a maximum fine of £5,000 under the regulations and £20,000 under the Act.

“It is for individual local authorities to make the decision on when enforcing is an appropriate mechanism to encourage compliance, in line with their own local enforcement policy.

“The CIEH report is disappointing and we would encourage all sunbed supervisors to comply with the regulations.”

Steve Thomas, chief executive of the Welsh Local Government Association, said: “During the early part of 2012, sunbed operators have been contacted with advice, reminding them of the legislation and they may also receive a visit from their council to offer advice and make sure that they are complying with the law.’

“Councils will assess compliance with the provisions of the legislation, and in line with their enforcement policy – will escalate action as far as prosecution where public health is put at risk.

“However, this is a last resort, and every council will wish to assist businesses to understand the law and put the necessary controls in place.

“Sunbed operators are urged to make contact with their local council should they require any further help.”